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MCP2221A-I/ST

MCHPMCP2221A-I/ST

Microchip Technology
USB Interface IC USB 2.0 to I2C Converter with GPIO
9,204 in stock

Overview

The MCP2221A-I/ST is a Microchip USB 2.0-to-I2C bridge IC with configurable GPIOs. It provides a simple single-chip way to connect a USB host to I2C peripherals and to add a few general-purpose I/O lines without a separate microcontroller. The device is intended for PC-hosted control, test, and prototyping of I2C devices.

Why Choose This Part

Integrates USB-to-I2C bridging and GPIOs in a single small IC, reducing BOM and board complexity compared with using a separate MCU. It is aimed at quick PC-hosted access to I2C devices for testing, configuration, or prototyping. Microchip provides documentation and example code that speeds integration into host software.

Applications

PC to I2C sensor interfacing
Allow a PC or single-board computer with USB to directly talk to I2C sensors, EEPROMs, and other peripherals for data collection or configuration.
Prototyping and lab tools
Use on a bench breakout to quickly probe, script, and automate I2C device tests without designing a custom MCU-based board.
Adding GPIO to a host system
Expose a few programmable digital I/Os to the host for control signals, resets, LED drive, or status inputs.
Firmware/configuration bridges
Provide a USB-accessible path for configuring or updating settings on I2C-attached devices during manufacturing or field service.

Getting Started

Begin with the MCP2221A datasheet and Microchip application notes for wiring, USB descriptors, and register usage. Look for vendor example code and community libraries that expose the device from host languages (Python, C, etc.). For hardware prototyping, use small third-party breakout boards or a breadboard-friendly adapter so you can quickly connect I2C devices and a USB cable.

Part of Microchip USB Bridges family » MCP2221

MCP2221 Family

Comparing specs that differ across variants. The current part is highlighted.

Part Number Package Stock
MCP2221A-I/ST (this part) 9,204
MCP2221A-I/ML VQFN-16 1,666
MCP2221A (Microchip) SOIC-14 9,526
MCP2221A-I/P DIP-14 214
Also available as: MCP2221AT-I/ML, MCP2221A-I/SL, MCP2221, MCP2221A-I/SN

Also Consider

MCP2221 MCHPMicrochip Technology - Earlier MCP2221 variant with similar USB-to-I2C functionality.
CP2112 SiLSilicon Labs - USB-to-SMBus/I2C bridge with GPIOs as an alternative from another vendor.
FT232H FTDI - USB interface chip with multi-protocol support (can be used to implement I2C via MPSSE).